Ex-Cats in the NFL: Extension for Mike Thomas, position change for Eben Britton

by Anthony Gimino on Oct 07, 2011, under Arizona football

Mike Thomas runs after a catch against Tennessee last month. Photo by Fernando Medina-US PRESSWIRE

A couple of news items for a pair of former Arizona Wildcats on the Jacksonville Jaguars …

“Money Mike” has a whole lot more money.

Wide receiver Mike Thomas, who is the Pac-12 career receptions leader with 260, received a three-year contract extension Thursday that takes him through the 2015 season. The extension is for $18 million, with $9 million of that guaranteed.

“I’m definitely excited,” Thomas said on Jaguars.com.

“I still have a job to do. It’s not really about money to me, but at the same time, I’m grateful and ecstatic that it happened. I still feel like I’ve got a lot ahead of me, so that’s where my focus is.

“I feel like I’ve got a lot of getting better to do myself. I want to do great, so that’s where my head is.”

Thomas is the team’s leading receiver with 20 catches for 212 yards and a touchdown. Thomas, in his third season, has 134 receptions for 1,485 yards and six scores.

Ex-UA offensive lineman Eben Britton also is in his third season in the NFL. A left tackle at Arizona, he started at right tackle in his first two seasons with the Jags, but he’s been moved to left guard.

Injuries kept Britton out of the lineup late last season and early this season, and Guy Whimper has played well at right tackle.

“It’s fun,” Britton told Jaguars.com about playing left guard.

“It is what it is. I’m having fun with it. It’s good to be on the field. I’m trying to do the best I can … Tackle feels like home to me, but Guy’s doing a great job at right. They don’t want to mess with that. I understand that. In a different world, and I wasn’t out for nine months with different injuries, maybe it would be a different story.”

“But Guy’s doing a great job at right tackle. We’re just trying to get the best five on the field.”